For TILLY ROSE, my number one fan. Thank you for your support, the emails and your continued encouragement. May your every fantasy come true.
*****
CHAPTER 1
Itâs not that Tilly Rose wasnât loved, she was. Growing up an a stable family environment she blossomed under the care of her parents, however, Tilly always felt that there was something important missing in her life. Her parents were strict disciplinarians, they werenât cruel or anything but made sure Tilly toed the line and always on her best behavior.
Even from an early age her parents treated her as a lady and expected her to behave like one. There was no going home with dirty clothing after play with the other children, candy was strictly rationed because it could ruin her teeth and a treat of junk food was almost non-existent.
There were other things as well; while her parents encouraged her to seek knowledge during her schooling they never assisted her in any form of research or discussion of homework. She was made to seek her own answers and draw what conclusions she could but woe-betide her if her grades fell short of average.
Then when she did excel, as she often did during a specific project and received high grades, there was no, âWell doneâ or hugs and kisses to encourage Tilly to strive even harder. The only physical contact she received was the kiss on the cheek when she retired for the night. Once she tried to climb onto her fatherâs knee for a cuddle but was roughly pushed away by her daddy while her mother had said, âIt isnât lady like to do that.â Tilly never tried it again.
When Tilly was just a few weeks short of her twelfth birthday she found blood in her panties, horrified, she called her mother for assistance. There was no sympathy and little reassurance, only a lecture about it being a, âwomenâs thing and from that time on she would be, âunclean,â once a month for the rest of her life.â
The word unclean was branded on poor young Tillyâs brain together with the idea that anything to do with sex was unhealthy and should never be mentioned under any circumstance. After being shown how to apply a sanitary napkin Tilly was told that she must look after herself in future and not bother her mother again.
Once again Tilly never did, even when during some of her early periods she suffered excruciating cramps, she put with the pain rather than ask her mother for help. It was about that time that Tilly began to lack self confidence herself and considered she was unworthy of affection but oh! How the poor girl craved affection.
Time and again Tilly dreamed her father came to her bed, held her gently in his arms cuddling her body too him before tenderly kissing her goodnight but it never happened, not once.
So the years rolled by and even though Tilly began to develop into a beautiful young lady, she retreated further into her shell. Answering questions only when asked and never involving herself in a group activity, but all that, was to magically change.
CHAPTER 2
It was late summer when Tilly walked in on a conversation between her parents. She sat quietly thumbing through a fashion magazine pretending to read but listening with interest.
âWell I donât want him here. From what I remember he has no respect whatsoever for normal values and even less for those around him. Remember how he left me? Heaven knows what would have happened if you hadnât have stepped into his shoes. The man has no sense of responsibility at all,â her mother said.
Daddyâs face was red with anger, âYou were just as much to blame as Paul, you used yourself to trap him, who can blame him for shooting through when he saw through your little scheme. I wished to God I had, there has to be a better life than the one youâve put me through.â
Tilly had seen her daddy angry before but never like this. She sunk down in the chair making herself as invisible as she could and hoping the ground would open and swallow her up.
âDonât you dare talk too me like that. Iâve been a good wife to you and youâve never said a grateful word since we were married. No woman should have to put up with what I do.â
âAh! A good wife? Yes, all except in one department. A dead cod fish has got more sensitivity and feeling than what you have. I donât give a damn what you say, Paul is my brother and heâs going to stay with us until he finds his own place. The guest apartment out the back is fully contained so he can stay there, no one comes to visit us anyway not that Iâm surprised with your bitchy temper.â
Tillyâs mom seemed fit to explode, âYes, heâs your brother, both of you are so alike. So long as you get your carnal pleasures youâre happy. Do you think I enjoyed lying down for him? All I wanted was a house and security; I certainly didnât intend to get pregnant.â
âBut you did,â her father shouted, âThen when Paul left for the navy you came moaning to me, saying youâd made a mistake and I was the one you really wanted and I was fool enough to believe it. You and your brat have made my life a misery ever since. Well Paulâs coming and heâs staying and thatâs an end to the matter.â
Tears clouded Tillyâs eyes when she realized that they were talking about her, holding back the sobs that were caught in her throat, she quickly ducked out of the room and made it to the back garden before the wail of despair left her lips. So intense was the argument between her parents, they had not even noticed that sheâd been there.
Tilly missed dinner that night. She lay on her bed sobbing, realizing that the man she thought to be her father wasnât but a brother of her father named Paul. She knew that she wasnât intended to hear any of the conversation but it had explained in some way why her father had been so cool towards her.
At breakfast the next morning the atmosphere was strained, but her father took the time to explain that her uncle Paul was coming to stay with them for a while and would be living in the self-contained guest rooms at the back. He went on to explain that his brother had spent years in the navy and now that his term was finished would be looking to settle back into civilian life.
It was a couple of weeks later that Tilly watched her Uncle Paulâs arrival from an upstairs window. She was expecting to see some decrepit figure, instead it was a a man of military bearing who sprightly stepped from the taxi. He was tall and muscular, looked to be in his early forties with hair the colour of grey steel. She saw her father and Paul embrace, the first time her father had shown any real affection for anyone.
It was much later that her daddy took her down to the guest unit and introduced her to Uncle Paul. âSo this is Tilly Rose, I havenât seen you since you were a baby, what a beautiful young lady youâve turned into.â Paul said greeting her with a big wide smile.
Then to Tillyâs surprise and embarrassment he lifted her as though she were a feather kissing her firmly on the cheek before crushing her to him in a bear like hug. Tilly was flustered by the sudden show of affection, her heartbeat increasing rapidly at the suddenness of the strangerâs actions.
When at last Paul placed her back on the ground she looked up into his handsome face and said breathlessly, âHello Uncle Paul.â Again she was rewarded by a huge smile and cheeky wink from his bright blue eyes.